1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a form for use with an optical mark sensing device, in general, and to a form which has specifically designed graphic switches on the forms, in particular.
2. Prior Art
Mark read scanners are used in a variety of data collection applications. The forms used with mark read scanners are commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cbubblexe2x80x9d or optical mark read (OMR) forms on which the user fills in a bubble (or space) on the form, typically, with a number 2 lead pencil.
Most known mark sensory and scoring devices and mark interpretation software use a binary system for describing the absence or presence of a mark. These systems are limited to the presence/absence or on/off binary sequence. Thus, very large numbers of codes are needed in order to read a relatively large number of marks. Mark positions on forms known in the art are, typically, assigned digital values between xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c255xe2x80x9d at the start of the process. These values are often refined to 16 levels and, finally, discriminated in a binary format where xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d represents a mark and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d represents no mark.
Most known forms use markings, colloquially known as xe2x80x9cskunk marksxe2x80x9d on the leading edge of the form or scan document. Skunk marks are preprinted, form-identifying, black marks which must match a mark pattern pre-programmed into the software of the scanner. If the skunk mark pattern for a form, typically a newly designed form, has not been programmed into these devices, the scanner will reject the form as unrecognizable.
There are several stand-alone test-scoring devices known in the art. Frequently, such devices are used within the education industry. These devices usually have been designed with limited versatility and do not easily operate on other test forms which are compatible, for example in size and shape, with the mode of operation thereof. This lack of versatility is a significant inconvenience to the user who wishes to use a form which is not included in the specific xe2x80x9cfamilyxe2x80x9d of forms that has been xe2x80x9cpre-programmedxe2x80x9d or designed to operate with the existing scanner.
One known scanner, in the form of a scoring device, does not use form-identifying marks on the leading edge of the document. Rather, the form for this device employs black rectangular xe2x80x9cstartxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cstopxe2x80x9d marks which are printed in line with timing marks on the document. The start mark is at the leading edge of the timing marks and the stop mark is at the trailing edge of the timing marks. These marks signal the scanner device to begin sensing for timing marks and then to stop sensing for timing marks, respectively. Other than the black rectangular start and stop marks, there are no other pre-printed marks on the document that convey document attributes to the scanner software for processing flow.
In another scanner system, the forms incorporated more advanced ternary-type graphic switches with three separate and distinct characteristics or variations in a gray scale. This form is an excellent form but is somewhat limited in the number of distinct forms which can be identified by the three-level graphic switches. This limited number of distinct forms allowed is particularly a problem when due to size and cost constraints the form can only have a limited number of graphic switches available.
It has been determined that there is a need in the education marketplace, where there is a wide variety of state mandated objective type testing, for a stand-alone test scoring device which allows for a large family of test answer sheets that have been pre-programmed to operate within the device. The market also dictates that this device must be economical which forces cost limitations on the number of graphic switch settings that can be interpreted by the device. A solution to increase the number of pre-programmed forms with limited graphic switch positions is necessary. Thus, the instant invention was developed to improve on the prior art system.
Reference is made to the following patents which are related to document/form scanning devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,439; TEST SCORING APPARATUS; Skoloski et al. This patent is directed to an apparatus and form which includes a xe2x80x9cstart of test markxe2x80x9d and an xe2x80x9cend of page mark.xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,961 TEST SCORING APPARATUS; Skoloski et al. This patent is a division of U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,439.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,330; OPTICALLY SCANNED DOCUMENT WITH FAIL-SAFE MARKING; Koch. This patent is directed to a form with a first control mark on one surface and a fail-safe mark on the reverse surface of the form.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,587; SCANNABLE FORM AND SYSTEM; DesForges et al. This patent is directed to a form and system which includes response control marks for controlling the input of numeric values and other mode selector media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,003; SCANNABLE FORM HAVING A CONTROL MARK COLUMN WITH ENCODED DATA MARKS; McMillan et al. This patent is directed to a form with a timing track which includes pre-encoded date information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,624; DATA PROCESSING FORM USING A SCANNING APPARATUS; Apperson et al. This patent is directed to a system using a form with three level graphic switches.
Other prior art patents relating to scannable forms and scanning apparatus are extant. This listing is not intended to be considered exhaustive.
This invention is directed to a scannable form for use with a scanner device. Graphic switches are printed on the leading edge of the form to define the characteristics of a test form. The form includes graphic switches referred to quad switches which can represent at least four (4) different characteristics or positions. The switches use only black and white designations which are readily ascertainable by the scanner. Thus, the invention allows for a binary or quadruple interpretation of marks. The quadruple (also referred to as xe2x80x9cfour-foldxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cfour-wayxe2x80x9d) interpretation discriminates at least 4 levels or positions of marks and, individually and in combination, assigns values 0, 1, 2 or 3, respectively.
One significant purpose of this form is to grade student test forms in a classroom or school environment. Another purpose is to read ballot forms for elections or the like. Yet another purpose is to read forms designed for survey tabulation. The specific use of quad graphic switches, as opposed to skunk marks, adds versatility to the test-scoring device and allows the scanner to accept a multitude of test answer sheets without the costly expense of reprogramming the EPROM stored within the device.